Walking is a great way to travel, offering a free and environmentally friendly option for getting to and from University as well as helping to maintain a fit and healthy lifestyle.

Health & Wellbeing

Taking a brisk walk (as if you are late for an appointment) for just 30 minutes a day on at least 5 days per week can help you; feel good (you will feel fitter and feel better about yourself); have more energy, reduce stress, reduce your blood pressure, manage your weight and sleep better. (NHS Inform 2020).

Walking can help improve mental health and wellbeing as well as being proven to reduce the risk of some chronic illnesses including heart disease, stroke, asthma, type 2 diabetes, obesity and some cancers. The medical evidence outlining the many health benefits for walking is so overwhelming that the UK Government have declared a new strategy to encourage Active Travel as a way of tackling our nations inactivity. See their plans to get Britain moving here.

Free & Easy

Aside from the health and fitness benefits, walking is completely free and requires very little journey planning. At Bournemouth University, we want to encourage and support active travel in as many ways as possible and have some great initiatives and incentives in place to get you out and about, walking for leisure or as part of your commute.

Outlined below are all the great ways we can help our staff, students and visitors start walking a little more, so why not take advantage of some of these offers and give walking a go!

  • Regular events on campus where the Travel & Transport Team can assist with queries as well as hand out free:
    • Pedometers.
    • Umbrellas.
    • Personal Safety Alarms.
  • BUWUG Community Group – Staff and Students can join the ‘Bournemouth University Walking User Group’ to get involved with on-campus and local community activities.
  • Lunchtime group walks either around campus or to nearby beauty spots.
  • Active Travel Facilities on campus including Showers, Changing Rooms and Lockers.
  • Discounts at a number of retailers including Go Outdoors and Cotswold Clothing on production of a valid BU ID Card. Visit the Student Discount and Staff Discount pages for more information.

Great for the Environment!

Walking plays an important role in improving our quality of life because it helps protect and improve the living environment and natural resources. Unlike some other transport modes, walking does not create harmful emissions (carbon and air pollutants) and is noise free. Walking can also allow us the opportunity to connect with nature.

After avoiding the need to travel, walking is the second option on the sustainable travel hierarchy, when planning a journey.

Types of travel

By walking to or from your place of study or work you are not only helping the environment but easing congestion on our local roads.

The South East Dorset city region has some of the busiest roads in the UK. Bournemouth University are actively engaging with BCP Council in an effort to improve the wider walking network, and to create safer and more attractive walking routes which link to the university campuses.

For more information and support, contact the Travel & Transport Team on [email protected].